June is the month parents start to get restless – in fact, I panic! It’s the realization that I have less than a month before the school holidays begin and nine weeks need to be filled with thrilling entertainment to tempt my daughter out of her bedroom. Poland’s answer to this dilemma is Children’s Day (June 1st).
Pretty much every café, museum, theatre, sports facility and play center will open its doors to celebrate children and introduce the family to the extensive activities Warsaw has to offer throughout the long summer. For us, much time will be spent down by the river. To some it might seem like one massive building site, but in-between the tractors and Hercules lifting trucks (also intriguing for kids) the wildlife goes beyond the riverbanks ecological secrets and leads to some very hip cafes and play areas.
Temat Rzeka, tucked under Most Poniatowskiego, was the big hit for us last summer. A short bike ride and there we were, cool beverage in hand and sand between the toes, lounging in deck chairs (to rent for a small fee), building sandcastles and jamming to the vibe of the day. Here the city’s restless traffic gets replaced by the river’s reckless current that only the docile water tram chugs down.
For Children’s Day Temat Rzeka is teaming up with Mamaville to host a fun family picnic (free entry). They will be promoting healthy foods similar to those on their menu (gluten free, vegetarian). There will be face painting and fun games such as blind man’s bluff, checkers, badminton and yoga, music and ecological workshops for children to partake in. There will also be a market with a wide selection of designers selling locally made toys, clothes, foods and books.
With a relaxed attitude to city life, barbeque menus, the largest expanse of white sand in the city (regularly cleared of rubbish / broken glass), the National Stadium looming overhead, the cleanest and most aesthetically pleasing public toilets in all Warsaw plus a city skyline that can boast seriously impressive sunsets, Temat Rzeka really is a top tip for the hippest families wanting minimum journey time but maximum city escape sensation. (GBB)
